Float-operated draining device



March 1952 A. BIENAIME FLOAT-OPERATED DRAINING DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1947 @w 6% w m y Y w Q a 1 h am ll m m m Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 21, 1947, Serial No. 730,147 In France May 26, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires May 26, 1964 In any apparatus using steam as a heat transmitting medium, it is necessary to provide a draining device for evacuating the water of condensation.

In order to be satisfactory, such a draining device must be able to effect the immediate evacuation of the water of condensation, at any rate of production of the same, toexclude the escape of steam, and to be reliable in operation, without necessitating supervision and maintenance.

The draining device according to this invention fulfills the above enumerated conditions, as it will appear from the following specification.

Two embodiments of the draining device according to this invention are shown, by way of; example, on the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a second embodiment of the invention.

The draining device comprises a container I to which are connected an inlet tube 2 for the mixture of steam and Water, and an outlet tube 3 for the evacuation of the water of condensation. In the embodiment shown on Fig. 1, the outlet tube 3 extends upwardly into the container I by a vertical tube portion 4 the upper end of which is closed by a plug 5 formed at its center with a vertical cylindrical opening 6, the upper, plane and horizontal surface of said plug 5 constituting a valve seat. In the embodiment shown on Fig. 2, the plug 5 closes the outlet tube 3 at a small distance above the bottom of the container I.

In the container I is vertically movable a closed float I under the bottom of which is mounted a valve member adapted to cooperate with the valve seat constituted by said plug 5. Said valve member comprises a valve base 8 having a lower plane surface adapted to make a sealing contact with the upper plane surface of said plug 5, and a valve spindle centrally mounted on and depending from said valve base 8 and adapted to enter said cylindrical opening 6 in the plug 5. Said valve spindle comprises a cylindrical portion 9a adjacent the valve base 8 and a conical portion 9b depending from said cylindrical portion 9a, the diameter of said cylindrical opening 6 being slightly greater than the diameter of said cylindrical portion 9a of the valve spindle so as to form a narrow annular passage between the wall of said cylindrical opening 6 and said cylindrical portion 9a. when said valve base 8 is lowered into engagement with the upper plane surface of said plug 5.

In the embodiment shown on Fig. 1, the valve .base 8 is surrounded by a depending cylindrical sleeve I0 mounted under the float 'I and adapted 2 Claims. (Cl. 137103) to surround the vertical tube portion 4 forming an extension of the outlet tube 3, the length of this sleeve I0 being such that, when the valve base 8 is seated on the plug 5, the lower, open endof said sleeve I0 is near the bottom of the container I.

In the embodiment shown on Fig. 2, where the plug 5 is placed near the bottom of the container I, the valve base 8 is spaced from the bottom of the float I by a vertical rod I I.

From the above, it will be apparent that in both embodiments, when the valve base 8 comesto rest upon the plug 5, the float I and the Water level X-X in the container I will be positioned at a considerable distance above the bottom of the container I, so that, at the moment of closing of the valve 8, 5, a considerable reserve of water will be left in the container I, for a purpose to be explained hereafter.

The draining device according to the invention operates as follows:

In the position of rest, the float I and the valve base 8 rests on the valve seat formed by the plug 5, thus causing a tight closing of the outlet tube 3. When the quantity of water of condensation entering the container I through the inlet tube 2 becomes sufiiicent to raise the float "I, the latter rises, and with it .the valve base 8 and valve spindle 9a, 9b, so that the valve base 8 leaves its seat on the plug 5, and the valve spindle 9a, 9b determines in the opening 6 an annular passage the section of which increases as. the valve spindle rises with the float I. If the water of condensation arrives at a constant rate, the float I will be raised until the said annular passage attains a section which is sufficient for evacuating the water of condensation at the said rate, and the float I will be stabilized in this position, until a change in the rate of arrival of the water of condensation causes the float to move to another position, so that the section of said annular evacuating passage between the conical valve spindle 9 and the opening 6 will be adjusted automatically in accordance with the rate of arrival of the water of condensation.

When this rate of arrival falls to zero, the float l descends until the valve base 8 comes to rest upon the seat on the plug 5, thus sealing the outlet tube 8. At this moment, as stated above, a considerable reserve of water, up to the level XX, remains in the container I. This reserve 0? water excludes any escape of steam through the outlet tube 3, even in case of a certain leakage 'of the valve 3, 5, this water reserve preventing the access 'of steam to the outlet t-ube 3 until the water level will have fallen to the level Y-Y which in Fig. 1 passes through the lower end of the sleeve I9, and in Fig. 2

through the lower surface of the valve base 8 seated upon the plug 5. It will be apparent that the water reserve comprised between the levels XX and Y-Y will take a very long time for leaking through the closed valve 8, 5 and the narrow annular passage between the cylindrical valve spindle portion 9a and the wall of the opening 6, so that any escape of steam will be prevented even if no arrival of water of condensation takes place for a considerable time.

In cases where the arrival of water of condensation is subject to particularly long interruptions, a reservoir adapted to store a sunicient additional reserve of water may be connected to the container I, between the levels XX and YY.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the draining device according to this invention fulfills the conditions of immediate evacuation of the water of condensation, at any rate of production of the same, up to a limit determined by the size of the device, and of excluding the escape of steam as long as the considerable water reserve in the device has not leaked away com- 'pletely.

It is also apparent that the device according to this invention is reliable in operation, since it comprises no mechanical links and articulations which might cause friction, wear and jamming, 'so that no supervision is necessary. In order to reduce the necessity of maintenance, the device may be provided with a jacket 12 (Fig. 1) mounted in the container I and surrounding the float I, this jacket I2 forming with the lateral wall of the container I an annular chamber [3 into which opens the inlet tube 2. The space inside said jacket 12 communicates with said annular space [3 through an opening l4 formed in the lower part of the jacket l2, at a point remote from the entrance of the inlet tube 2. Due to this arrangement, the water inside the jacket l'2 will be calmer, so that the float 1 and the valve 8, 5 controlled thereby will be protected against shocks and the device will last longer.

The level YY passing through the lower end of the sleeve in Fig. 1, or through the lower surface of the valve base 8 seated upon the plug in Fig. 2, may be placed at a sufficient height above the bottom of the container l, to provide a space for the settling of solid impurities (such I as rust) carried along by the steam, so that these impurities will not damage the bearing surfaces of the valve and the latter will be maintained in tight closing conditions.

The embodiment according to Fig. 1, wherein thevalve seat on the plug 5 is brought nearer to the oscillation center of thefloat and reduces the amplitude of the movements of the valve base 8 with respect to said seat has also the effect of reducing the wear of the device and of rendering its maintenance easier.

It will be apparent that the device according to this invention resolves the problem of draining under the most difficult conditions and. even in cases where corrosive substances are mixed with the water of condensation. The operation of the device being devoid of any mechanical friction, its surfaces can be protected by anticorrosive products which are often very subject towear by friction.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described and shown, and that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A float-operated draining device comprising a container having an inlet opening, an outlet tube extending through the bottom of said container and vertically upwards into said container, a plane horizontal valve seat formed with a central outlet opening at the upper end of said outlet tube, a float vertically movable in said container, a valve secured to said float, said valve comprising a plane valve base adapted to seat on said valve seat and a conical valve spindle centrally mounted on said valve base and depending vertically therefrom into said outlet opening, the maximum diameter of said valve spindle at its base being smaller than the diameter of said outlet opening so as to form a narrow annular passage between said valve spindle and said outlet opening when said valve base is lowered into engagement with said plane valve seat, and a cylindrical depending, laterally imperforate sleeve secured to said valve base and surrounding said outlet tube, the inner diameter of said depending sleeve being slightly greater than the outer diameter of said outlet tube, and the length of said depending sleeve being such that its lower end is near the bottom of said container w'hensaid valve base is seated upon said valve seat.

2. A float-operated draining device comprising a container having an inlet opening, an outlet tube extending through the bottom of said container and vertically upwards into said container, a plane horizontal valve seat formed with a central outlet opening at the upper end of said outlet tube, a fioat vertically movable in said container, a valve secured to said float, said valve comprising a plane valve base adapted to seat on said plane valve seat and a valve spindle depending centrally from said valve base into said outlet opening and having a cylindrical portion adjacent said valve base and a conical portion depending from said cylindrical portion, the diameter of said cylindrical portion of the valve spindle being smaller than the diameter of said outlet opening so as to form a narrow annular passage between said cylindrical portion and said outlet opening when said plane valve base is lowered into engagement with said plane valve seat, and a cylindrical depending, laterally imperforate sleeve secured to said valve base and surrounding said outlettube, the inner diameter of said depending sleeve being slightly greater than the outer diameter of said outlet tube, and the length of said depending sleeve being such that its lower end is near the bottom of said container when said plane valve base is seated upon said plane valve seat.

ANDRE BIENAIME.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 648,180 Stumpf Apr. 24, 1900 1,185,68 Kraft June 6, 1916 1,732,222 Cantrall Oct. 22, 1929 1,991,052 Derby Feb. 12,..1935 2,202,735 Johnson May 28, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 337,988 Germany of 1921 

